Employees at Simon & Schuster have called on the book publisher to stop working with certain writers. To emphasize their point, more than 200 employees have signed a petition calling for the company to cut ties with the Trump administration, specifically Mike Pence's two-book deal. Those who signed the petition have asked that the company not treat “the Trump Administration as a ‘normal’ chapter in American history.”
In the past, the company has cut ties with Republican lawmakers who have acted questionably. Sen. Josh Hawley voted against certifying the electoral college on the day of the Capitol Hill Riots and the book publisher ended its relationship with him shortly thereafter.
“After witnessing the disturbing, deadly insurrection that took place on Wednesday in Washington, DC, Simon & Schuster has decided to cancel the publication of Sen. Josh Hawley’s forthcoming book,” the company stated.
Adding on, the company said it would no longer have a working relationship with the officer who shot and killed Breonna Taylor. Like the Hawley book deal, the publisher did not end its relationship with Josh Mattingly until public pressure pushed mounted.
“Like much of the American public, earlier today Simon & Schuster learned of plans by distribution client Post Hill Press to publish a book by Jonathan Mattingly,” the company wrote in a statement.
“We have subsequently decided not to be involved in the distribution of this book.”
Despite pressure from within the company, Simon & Schuster does not plan to cut ties with Pence at this time.
“As a publisher in this polarized era, we have experienced outrage from both sides of the political divide and from different constituencies and groups,” Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp said.
“But we come to work each day to publish, not cancel, which is the most extreme decision a publisher can make, and one that runs counter to the very core of our mission to publish a diversity of voices and perspectives. We will, therefore, proceed in our publishing agreement with Vice President Mike Pence."
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